gormley



(No Model.)

AJ. W. GORMLBY.

VEHICLE SHAPTS.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOI-IN W.VGORMLEY, OF OINOINNATLDOHIO, ASSIGNOR OF ONEJIALF TO MICHAEL T. FOLEY, OF SAME PLACE.

VEHICLE-SHAFT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 453,256, dated June 2. 1891.

Applicationiled February 6, 1891. Serial No. 380,487. (No model.)

To all whom t may concern.-

3e it known that I, JOHN W. GOEMLEY, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of Cincinnati, in the county of Hain-v ilton and State of Ohio,have invented certain new and useful Means for Splicing, Strengthening, and ProtectingVehicle-Shafts, of which the following is a specification.

The several features of my invention and the various advantages resulting from their use, conjointly or otherwise, will be apparent from the following description and claims.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this application, and to which reference is hereby made, Figure l is a plan or top View of a pair of shafts and whifietree connected thereto, the said figure illustrating my invention. In this figure one of the shafts is straight and the other curved, in order to further illustrate certain features of my invention. Fig. 2 is an elevation of the tip orfront end of the case or sleeve which is a feature of my invention. Fig. 3 is a front end View of the sleeve formed in one way, so as to be readily adjusted upon the shank or rear portion of the tip, ashereinafter more particularly set forth. Fig. et is a vertical sectional View of the rear portion of the said sleeve and of the leather backing-loop and the mode in which the backing-loop is connected to the sleeve and shaft and by which the sleeve is made firm to the base. Fig. 5 is a transverse section of the shaft, taken in the plane of the dotted line 5 5 of Fig. l, that side of the section which faces toward the bottom orleft-hand end of the drawings being shown in said figure. In this ligure the rear end or rim of the sleeve aforementioned is seen in elevation. Fig. 6 is a view of the end of the shaft adapted to receive the sleeve. Fig. 7 is a view of the supplemental piece employed upon the end of the shaft within the sleeve in cases where the forward end of the shaft being broken off it becomes necessary to splice the same. Fig. S is an elevation of the tip shown in Fig. 2.

` Fig. 9 is a side elevation of the supplemental piece employed in connection with the curved shaft protected by the curved sleeve herein; before mentioned. Fig. l0 is an elevation of thatportion of the curved shaft which is di! rectly on the rear of and which is connected to the supplemental piece, substantially as hereinafter described. Fig. 1l is an elevation of the curved sleeve and tip used in connection with the curved shaft, the dotted lines in said figure showing the arrangement of parts within the sleeve in relation to the sleeve and to one another. Fig. 12 is a longitudinal vertical section ot' the end of the. shaft provided with the tip'and protecting-sleeve and illustrating the preferred mode of enabling 'the tip to be firmly fixed to and within the end portion of the said sleeve. Fig. 13 is a longitudinal vertical section of the tip and of the front portion of the sleeve and accompanying part of the shaft, and also of the cover, of leather or like material, employed to cover, protect, and beautify the metallic sleeve aforementioned. This gure also shows the preferred mode ot'- enabling the tip to be fixedly secured to the sleeve. Fig. 14. isa transverse vertical section taken in the plane of the dotted line 14 14 of Fig. 13. Fig. l5 is a top View of the blank employed to form the shaft-protector or sleeve at or in the vicinitywhere the traceloop is connected to the shaft. Fig. 16 is an elevation of that end or edge of the said blank which is at the right hand in Fig. l5. Fig. 17 is a view-of the said blank shown in Fig. 15 after it has been curved into the form of a sleeve ready for application to the said shaft.

It may be vhere remarked thatv the blank shown in Figs. l5, 16, and 17 is applicable to protect the shaft at the trace-loop, as hereinafter mentioned, and also applicable to the whiffietree at t-he point where the latter comes into contact with the leather safety-loop. The dotted lines show the shape of the ends of the blank when the latter is to be employed upon the shaft, while the solid lines at the ends of the blank show the form of the latter when employed yupon the tapering piece, as is the whiflietree where the said blank is applied thereto.

A Arespectively indicate the shafts.

In Fig] the forward portion of each shaft is shown covered and protected by a tube B. This tube is preferably made out of a fiat sheet of metal by bringing together the opposite long edges and fastening them by bending them, so as to interlock. The tube tapers down from front to rear, the taper of the tube IOO part corresponding to the taper on that portion of the shaft which it covers and protects. Vhcn desired, the rear edge of the tube may be formed into orbe otherwise provided with a bead, as B2.

At the forward end of the tube is located a tip D, preferably of metal, and having a forward portion D and a rear part D3. At the point where the part D3 joins the front porio tion D the former is smaller than the latter, thereby forming a shoulder D2. The height of this shoulder is substantially that of the thickness of the tube B. The portion D3 of the tip D is located within the forward end of the tube and secured thereto in any suitable manner. I have, however,invented two valuable modes of making such attachment. One of these modes is as follows: The forward end of the tube B is slit, so as to form a number of 2o tongues, as B. (Shown in Fig. 3.) These tongues are preferably formed on the metal blank of the tube before the tube is made. The portion D3 of the tip is next inserted within the circle formed by this slitted por- 2 5 tion B', and the latter is then bent down upon D:s immediately in the rear of the part D and there soldered to the tip.

The preferred mode of securing the tip to the tube B is shown in Fig. 12, and consists 3o as follows: At one point on the exterior of the tipD is the teat or lug D5. Then the tube B is formed, a longitudinal groove or gutter DG will be present in the latterin the vicinity of the interlocked edges of the tube. This groove is shown in Figs. 12, 13, and 14. The

tube B having been formed around the portion D3 of the tip D, the lug D5 lying in the groove DG and the forward edge D8 of the seam D7 having been bent up against the 4o shoulder D2, the tube B will be held securely in position upon the tip. The attachmentof the tube and tip maybe further strengthened by the well-known process of soldering or brazing. lVhen desired, the tube B may be ex teriorly provided with an enameled surface, or, as shown in Fig. 13, be surrounded with a layer or sheath of leather E, the latter being preferably enameled for making its exterior attractive. The tip is provided with a recess 5o D4, beginning at its rear end and extending in toward the front end thereof. This recess is made tapering in order to accommodate the tapering front end C of the shaft or splicing-piece and the better to enable the saidtip to be tightly wedged upon the said shaft or splicing-piece. Vhere the forward portion of the shaft is straight, the tube will be straight; but when that portion of the shaft which the tube covers is curved the tube will be also. 6o In case the tube B is on a straight shaft, as shown in Fig. 1, the shaft is readily inserted after the tube is made, and where the shaft is to be a curved one the shaft and the tube thereon may together be bent.

Vhere the front part of a shaft has been broken and requires to be spliced, the preferred mode of doing this is a novel one of my invention, and which is as follows: The forward end of that portion of the shaft which is left-wiz., the point where the fracture occurred-is tapered down, as C', and a splicing-piece, as. C3, of the required length, is inserted between the tip D and the remaining part of the shaft. The splicing-piece has a tapered end C', which is fitted into the recess D" of the tip. The rear end of this splicingpiece Cs is provided with a tapered recess C", which latter receives the tapered end C of the shaft C. Such mode of splicing will be used in both curved and straight shafts. In the case of new curved shafts, when the latter is to be provided with my protecting tube and tip, I avoid making the shaft full length, but make it (the part C) of the length shown by dotted lines in Fig. 1, (see lower shaft of said figure,) and then provide a curved splicing-piece C3, having a tapered front end C and a rear recess C'l. The end C of said piece C8 is inserted into the recess D'L of the tip D. The tube is then formed around the tip D and bent splicing-piece The rear portion of the tube is formed around a former. T he tube is now fully formed and of the curved shape shown in Fig. 11. The former having been withdrawn, the end C of the main portion C of the shaft is now run into the tube and inserted into the recess CJt of the splicingpiece C3.

A novel and preferred means for holding the tube B in place upon the shaft is shown in Figs. 1 and 4, and consists in inserting the screw F (which holds the leather backing-loop F in position) through the loop and protecting-tube B and into the wood of the shaft, thereby securing all these parts firmly in place.

I have provided a shaft-protector or sleeve G, which embraces theshaft at or in the vicinity of the trace-loop. This loop I prefer to make as follows: A blank G is provided, and near one edge are bored a number of holes or perforations G2. On the other end of the blank are formed a number of tongues G3, each tongue being of such a size as to bc capable of being received into and passed through its 4adjacent respective hole G2 when the blank is bent in the form of a sleeve, as shown in Fig. 17. In the form shown in Fig. 17 a protector G is placed upon the shaft at the proper point, and the tongues G3 are then introduced or passed through the respective hole G2 and clamped down. The trace-loop is now placed upon the protector G, and a screw G4 is inserted through the loop and protector, thereby holding the loop, protector, and the shaft firmly together. To impart a nish to the ed gesot the protector, each edge may be provided with a bead G5, formed out of the edge by manipulating the latter, or attached thereto. When desired, this protector may be employed to cover a whiietree I at the place Where the latter comes in contact with the leather safety-loop J. In the latter event the protector will be made of a IOO IIO

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Whiiiletree.l By the use of this protector in connection with the trace-loop of the shaft the life of the shaft is lengthened. Not only so, but the shaft is prevented from being.

marred or otherwise injured when coming in contact with the rear axle of another vehicle. This latter event usually takes place when,

as is often the case, the shafts of one vehicle; are run under the rear axle of another vehicle in front, in order to economize rooni in the place wherey stable or carriage-house or other the vehicles are stored.

What I claim as new and of my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. The tip D, having shoulder D2 and recess D4, and the tube or sleeve B, secured on and to the part D3 of the said tip behind the said shoulder and adapted to receive the forward portion of the shaft into the said tip and recess D4, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

2. The tip D, having the lug D5 and the tube B, secured thereto, the tube being provided with a seam formed by its interlocking edges, and the lug D5 being located in the space D6 of the seam, substantially as and for the purposes specilied.

3. The tip D, having the lug D5 and the tube B, secured thereto, the tube being provided with a seam formed by its interlocking edges, and the lug D5 being located in the space D6 of the seam, the tip D having the head or partD and the portion D3 andshoulder D2, formed at the junction of the head D and the reduced portion of the part D3, the tube being secured on the part D3, and the front end of the seam of the tube being bent up, as at DS, against the shoulder D2, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

4. As a means of splicing, strengthening, and protecting a shaft, the tube B, having tip D, provided with recess D4, and a splicing-piece C3, having rear recess C4 and tapered front portion C', and the shaft portion C, having tapered portion C', the splicing-piece being located within the said tube and having its forward end in the recess D4 of the tip, the forward portion of the shaft being like- Wise located in the tube, the tapered tip C of the shaft fitted into the recess G4 of the splicing-piece, and the backing loop and screw F, connected to the latter and passed through the tube and into the shaft and securing in place the said loop and tube and splicingpiece and shaft, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

5. A shaft-protector consisting of the tapered tube and tip and adapted to receive the shaft or shaft and splicing-piece, and covered with an envelope of leather, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

JOHN W. GORMLEY. Attest:

A. L. HERRLINGER, K. SMITH. 

